Storebuilder Blog - Cycling to work/Fitness

After working out on the stairmaster for a couple of months I started to get bored and I was looking for a new challenge. So I thought I would try out a spinning class at Fitness First.

How hard can it be?

Quite hard actually.

In fact I felt like a total twat as my legs gave up trying to push the pedals around after about 20 minutes and I just freewheeled through the second half of the session.

I was totally unprepared for what what was about to happen and if you are thinking about trying out a spinning class - keep the resistance low! Don't keep turning up the resistance to keep up with the rest of the class as you will die on the bike.

That was about six weeks ago and since then I've gained back my self respect by making four sessions a week and now I'm climbing the hills with the rest of them but in between was a serious fitness curve.

Here's my guide to survivng your first spinning class and learn to enjoy one of the best ever ways to get fit and burn some serious calories for time limited affiliates:

First of all you need to come prepared. If you haven't done anything better than walk to the office fitness wise for a couple of years or the most exercise you have done is crawling under the desk to fit your new USB cable then you should probably build up a small level of fitness first before attempting this.

Otherwise you are going to experience pain and torture. The embarrassment of having to get off your spinning bike and leave a class whilst everybody else are serenely climbing the first mountain will probably mean you'll never come back to it.

That's not to say that spinning class is something to be endured and suffered, it's most definitely not that. But this is two steps up from walking on a treadmill so don't come looking for an easy ride.

Spinning classes are designed to burn some serious calories and raise your metabolism. I've seen estimates of anywhere between 500 and 800 calories for a single 45 minute session obviously depending on how hard you are prepared to work, so the number one item you should bring along with you is a towel because you will perspire profusely.

In other words you are going to sweat your bollocks off.

Because of that the second item you need to bring along is a sports bottle filled to the top. Because you will get incredibly thirsty once you get up to full working temperature.

It's also advisable to wear some proper cycling shorts because the seats on these spinning bikes aren't made to be comfortable and if you've got fat podgy thighs then there is some serious chafing going on! I wear a pair I got from Argos for £15 and they still wear well.

Make sure you arrive early at your first class and ask the instructor to help you set your bike up. Make a mental note of the settings so you don't have to keep guessing for next time. Many "spinners" are regular so you'll probably find someone who can help you set up for the first time if the class is packed.

Sit at the front!

Don't be tempted to sit at the back and hide away.

That's another good reason for arriving early so that you get a bike at the front. If you can't see the instructor you won't have a clue what is going on and once the ride starts you'll be sitting down when everyone else is standing up and vice versa.

It's also difficult to understand what an instructor is saying if you can't see them. Once the music starts you have to concentrate on pedalling at the right tempo and adjust the resistance.

It's a lot easier to see what you should be doing than listening to an instructors shouting through their mike over a high volume music track.

In any case all of the instructors have different ways of saying what you should be doing. For example the psycho instructor will make it clear that you should be out of the saddle by shouting "Rise, RISE, RIIISSEE whilst their eyes bulge out of their sockets and make large.

Simultaneously furiously grabbing at the front handlebars and madly shaking their head at everyone like one of those deranged nodding dogs.

Others will just say "whup" and expect you all to rise in unison. Until you get used to the choreography it's a good idea to be able to see what the instructor is doing so you are in no doubt about where you should be in the ride.

A typical class will have about nine tracks starting with a warm up and you then proceed to sprint, climb and ride your way through a series of imaginary terrains all the while having your eardrums blasted by some great loud dance music and the shouted commands to "rise", "hover", "sit push", "ride easy", "sprint" and more.

To the tune of Foo Fighters "The Pretender"

"We have our last hill, make it big!" He shouts.

"make it sticky!" He hollers

"Push down with the heel, pull up with balls of the feet"

"More resistance!....It just got STEEPER!"

At this point you can feel your heart pounding in your chest. This is the last climb of the day.

"They are chasing you, they're catching"

"MORE EFFORT" He screams.

"GIVE ME MORE RESISTANCE! PUSH DOWN, PULL UP"

"IT GOT STEEPER"

It can't get any steeper, no way. Every last sinew is working to keep those pedals going round.

"I can see the brow of the hill, keep those legs going, keep PUMPING, MORE EFFORT! ALMOST THERE! KEEP GOING!"

"SPEED UP THOSE LEGS"

You gasp for air. The intensity is incredible. Every last effort goes in here.

Then silence.

And a sudden multitude of gasping for breath.

"Ride Easy!"

Spinning is one of the most rewarding exercise classes there is. It also gives you a euphoric feeling when you've finished and for that reason it's incredibly addictive.

Fat affiliates should spin their way to health. You need to live long enough to spend those hard earned commissions.

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